Just One Thing: Jack Phillips and Masterpiece Cake Shop back in court
In the 303 Creative case at the federal Federal Supreme court last year, that Court ruled that the state cannot force a website designer to create messages that conflict with her personal views. To me, forcing a baker to make a cake raises the same issues though I understand that a cake is not identical to words as far as being a form of speech. Yesterday, multiple Colorado Supreme Court justices hearing, again, about Jack Phillips of Masterpiece Cake Shop’s refusal to make cakes that celebrate things that conflict with his deeply held views, asked questions that showed they do not understand the basic principle. Based on the questioning I wouldn’t be shocked if the Colorado court rules against him and that he has to return to the federal court for justice.
Read some of the questioning here: Baker urges Colorado court to back refusal to make gender transition cake | Reuters
Juneteenth: Yes, it's a good idea for a holiday
We'll talk about this a bit on the show, but I've consistently thought that Juneteenth merited a holiday. I liked Ron Johnson's idea of removing Columbus Day as a holiday (not because I hate Columbus the way so many on the left do but because it's not a holiday for most people but gov't workers get paid by taxpayers when the rest of us have to work and frankly Columbus probably doesn't merit a holiday anyway.)
The celebration of the end of slavery in our nation that was founded based on the promise of freedom is almost as important as celebrating the creation of the nation itself. President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation freeing the slaves could not be enforced in the slaveholding states until Union troops got control of those states. Indeed, the actual freeing of the last slaves did not occur until 2½ years after the Emancipation and two months after Lincoln was assassinated. It happened when US Army General Gordon Granger read General Order #3 to the people of Galveston, Texas, announcing the end of slavery in its last American outpost. That, my friends, is worth celebrating.
READ THIS: Condoleezza Rice: Juneteenth Is Our Second Independence Day | The Free Press (thefp.com)
SEE MORE in the Tom Krannawitter note in the guest section below...
Today's Guests
Jack Phillips is the proprietor of Masterpiece Cake Shop. Jake Warner is senior counsel at the Alliance Defending Freedom and is representing Jack at the Colorado State Supreme Court (including in oral arguments yesterday) as well as at the Supreme Court of the United States when Jack was there before and may be there again.
The question at hand: Can the state compel Jack to make cakes to celebrate things that Jack's deeply held beliefs find wrong such as gay marriage or gender transition. Note that Jack has always asserted, and nobody has ever denied, that any person is welcome to buy pre-made products at Masterpiece. (I personally love the chocolate mint brownies.) The question is custom-made items where Jack must use his creativity to express a message.
Justice for Jack | Alliance Defending Freedom (adflegal.org)
See the "Just One Thing" above for more.
Peggy Little is Senior Litigator with the New Civil Liberties Alliance (NCLA). We'll briefly discuss a lawsuit NCLA is bringing against SEC policy requiring everyone who settles with the SEC to agree never to talk about the case. It's a rule that's been around a long time even though I don't think any honest person can argue that it's constitutional.
Priscilla Rahn is a long time resident and political activist in Douglas County (and a public school teacher in Denver). She's running for Douglas County Commissioner.
Priscilla Rahn for Douglas County Commissioner (priscillafordougco.com)
Dr Tom Krannawitter is the founder and president of Speakeasy Ideas, a good friend and one of the few people whom I really consider to be a mentor when it comes to study of politics, history, and political philosophy. We'll talk about Juneteenth and other things.
Juneteenth: A Uniquely American Holiday (substack.com)
Subscribe (for free) to Tom's Substack here: Dr. Krannawitter's Substack | Thomas L. Krannawitter, Ph.D. | Substack
Other Stuff
Willie Mays, RIP: Willie Mays, supreme baseball talent considered best to ever play, dies at 93
An article about Willie Mays written when he was 90: Willie Mays at 90 -- He was Steph Curry, Michael Jordan, Simone Biles and Mikhail Baryshnikov - ESPN
Some people call this "The Catch" and the greatest defensive play in World Series history (1954, vs the Cleveland Indians)
Jerry Seinfeld heckles the hecklers: "They just don't know where to use their words."
At the moment, I'd think you'd have to bet on Burgum as Trump's VP choice. I think Trump really likes a self-made rich guy who's proven to be a hard-working but soft-spoken and basically likeable surrogate: VP contender Burgum hits the road as Trump's busiest surrogate
If something cannot go on forever, it will stop: U.S. national debt will reach $50 trillion by 2034, CBO projects - The Washington Post (subscription may be required)
This is a sin committed by both political parties against our children. Biden is the worst of all time and Trump is the worst Republican of all time on this critical issue:
Perhaps a new phase of the Israel-Hamas war is upon us: Israel says Rafah attack near completion, in potential shift for war - The Boston Globe
I could be on board with some "welcome relief", but not illegal welcome relief like this: Biden policy is welcome relief for Americans with spouses in the country illegally (Reuters)
I’m not saying we know for sure that it came from the lab but it was ALWAYS obvious that the Wuhan lab was the most likely origin of COVID. Pretty nuts that people are still arguing that it’s more like to have just occurred in nature. One of the guys making that argument is almost certainly just covering his ass after being part of the Fauci-organized effort to destroy anyone who suggested COVID came from the Wuhan lab.
Covid-Hearing Witness Lays Out Overwhelming Case for Lab-Leak Theory | National Review
Idiots: Just Stop Oil Climate Activists Vandalize Stonehenge with Spray Paint | National Review
Trump's guy might win, but just barely. It seems as if Trump's endorsement power is slightly, but only slightly, weakening: Bob Good’s Virginia primary result remains too close to call - POLITICO
Virginia 5th Congressional District Primary Election Results 2024 - The New York Times (nytimes.com)
I've been unable to find a guest to talk about this so I'll cover it myself, a few days late but still worth mentioning: ANC and DA reach deal to form South African government of national unity (bbc.com)
Another EV maker bites the dust. (I don't cheer for companies to fail. When it comes to EVs, though, I really despise the way politicians are spending our children's future earnings and using raw government power to try to force people into vehicles they don't (yet) want.
Fisker and a Dying EV Dream - WSJ
You should not tolerate people who say they want to cause disruption and harm of any aspect of civil society "by any means necessary": McGill Ends Talks With Protesters Who’ve Occupied Campus for Seven Weeks (msn.com)
Today's Videos
"Bad Lip Reading" hasn't put out anything new in a long time but I figured I'd share one with you in case you don't know his/their work
Juneteenth videos
Thinking about Juneteenth in the context of later and ongoing civil rights efforts
Animated version of the story